Former White Plains star Jenna Gordon went from a walk-on to being a major part in Villanova's women's soccer leading the Wildcats to a 5-0-2 start. / Villanova University Athletics

Written by

Joe Lombardi

The Journal News

The success Jenna Gordon now enjoys as a defender on the Villanova women's soccer team hardly could have been envisioned when the former White Plains star joined the Wildcats as a walk-on her freshman year.

"I didn't talk to her much her first year because I didn't know who she was," coach Ann Clifton said, only half-jokingly.

Gordon is the only player on the team who joined the Wildcats sight unseen. But that was then.

Now a senior, she's one of the leading players on a team that is off to a 5-0-2 start - and she's on scholarship, too.

"I think I've improved in almost every way possible, especially foot skills," Gordon said. "I've also focused on seeing the field and seeing the game a lot better. I see it as an entire game now, rather than a personal thing."

The 5-foot-3 Gordon, who is known for her speed, moved to left-side defense following her sophomore year and helped Villanova allow just 11 goals all last season. The 2006 Wildcats went 16-3-2 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament, where they lost to Penn State 2-0 after beating Toledo 5-1 in the first round.

It was Villanova's fifth NCAA appearance in the last six years.

"The Toledo game was amazing," Gordon said. "Our team was really together. We dominated the entire game. Penn State is the kind of game that you look back at and think how the whole game could have changed if we started out playing strong from the beginning."

Gordon is confident about the Wildcats' tournament prospects this season.

"We have seven seniors,and usually we're all starting," she said. "We've grown very close. We're hoping we can make this season what we want it to be. Everybody wants to go on the field and leave everything out there each game."

That's especially true in Gordon's case, according to Clifton.

"Passionate is probably the first word that comes to mind with Jenna," Clifton said. "If there's a fine line between fire and ice, that's what she has."

Clifton noted that while Gordon is a team leader, it's in a "behind the scenes" sort of way.

"If she perceives something is going on that needs to be addressed, she may have lunch with that particular young lady," Clifton said. "I'm not sure if she's comfortable being an authoritative leader."

But Gordon was quite comfortable during a six-week program to study Spanish in Chile, where she went with teammate Melissa Murowski in the summer of 2006.

"It was a different atmosphere, but interesting at the same time," said Gordon, a comprehensive-science major who is eyeing a career in occupational therapy. "It was great."

Gordon, who is working toward becoming fluent in Spanish, hopes to return to South America soon.

"I may take a year off and travel there," she said.

Reach Joe Lombardi at jlombard@lohud.com or 914-696-8239. For an archive of stories in this series, visit lohud.com/catchingup.